Amateur cyclist who says he's never raced gets four-year doping ban

rct wrote:

zanf wrote:

British Cycling wrote:

You have never raced nor intend to so we're going to ban you for 4 years from doing so.... unless of course you provide a T.U.E.

Sounds about right of the logic that comes out of BC

 

Actually  that is part of the TUE protocol for amateurs.

amateur racers...absolutely, people who are just "members" of BC who have no intention of racing, and Ride membership doesnt even get you a race licence, just because BC havent updated their handbook since theyve introduced new levels of non-racing "membership"...err not sure a good chunk of the 75,000 BC members who joined since 2012 have any idea they signed up to that.

superfourben wrote:

I joined British cycling ride membership with my fiance about 3 years ago and both of us remember specifically reading quite clearly that as a member were were subject to anti doping... we were warned!!

 

sounds like a thrilling evening spent with your fiancé, reading the BC Ts&Cs

CXR94Di2 wrote:

If the drugs I take to keep me in good health have a performance enhancement, so what. I don't race for other than self satisfaction and fitness. Ignoring the fact the best I have ever done is come in the top 10 at my local timetrial.

That guy who came 11th was done out of 10th place

This story isn't about a guy with a condition who was prescribed medicines to treat it. It's about a guy who bought illicit performance enhancers on the internet. The rules look after us here. He didn't know who made them, what the actual dose is, or what kind of other junk is in there. The TUE system was developed for people with genuine medical need, who have been through a robust prescription process, like the one we use in the UK.

racingcondor wrote:

Anyone taking insulin, yes it probably is worth looking into whether you need a TUE.

That said UKAD don't have a history of testing random amateurs enough to ever catch anyone so this was the result of a tip off. I'd love to know the internal politics of Mapperly CC...

Or maybe it was Fancy Bears monitoring his web history.

alansmurphy wrote:

JHarrison,

True, but as highlighted by the comments here, we are potentially signing up to something that could have consequences.

I sign up as a race member (as it's cheaper), take insulin (as a diabetic), ride socially but get banned by UKAD and it has an impact on a career (as a PE teacher for example)...

The TUE system, prospective or retroactive, is there to protect people in this circumstance. An insulin dependent diabetic would generate an Adverse Analytical Finding, not an Anti Doping Rule Violation. It will not have consequences if there is a genuine medical need to take a medicine. If you ever need to have the conversation with UKAD, I'm quite happy to explain how DKA works to them but I'm absolutely confident that it wouldn't be a problem. I believe there's some guy called Redgrave who has set a precedent.

See: http://www.ukad.org.uk/medications-and-substances/checking-medications/

shay cycles wrote:

A bloke illegally imports drugs which is noticed by the UK Border Force. After that UKAD are involved and following a refusal to supply a sample and admission that they were for his own use he was rightly banned from all sports.

Surely the big story here is that UK Border Force have actually managed to do something right!

if he is illegally importing drugs he should be prosecuted by customs. He hasn't been which would imply it is not illegal.

The big question here is why do UKAD have the authority to demand a sample from someome who is not competing at all?

Artical is not clear whether he has ride membership or silver race membership.

As someone with a ride membership am I now obliged to pay the same attentoin to the banned substances list as professional athletes, or else be banned from sport. According to the relase the ban is from all cycling activities, does this incluse the club run of any affiliated cycling club? or sportives? or audax rides?

I can't find the membership terms and conditions on british cycling site, So I am not sure if I am under this obligation, and since the charge is nornmally failing to provide a sample does this mean I have to submit my whereabouts for a 1 hour period every day? Do I need to consider what cows might have been fed in countries I may visit before eating beef? Submit a TUE if I am prescribed anything (unlikely as I think it may be easier to see the pope than my GP)

You see how absurd this gets if they want to follow this line with british cycling members who do not race?

It seems like a massive over reaction to me. and I will seriously consider whether I should renew my membership, or join cycling UK when the time comes.

wycombewheeler wrote:

if he is illegally importing drugs he should be prosecuted by customs. He hasn't been which would imply it is not illegal.

Anabolic steroids are a class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act - so actually unauthorised possession is illegal.

The same act makes it illegal to either import of export these drugs. In general terms when they are possessed for personal use the prosecution is waived but that does not make the acts legal.

shay cycles wrote:

wycombewheeler wrote:

if he is illegally importing drugs he should be prosecuted by customs. He hasn't been which would imply it is not illegal.

Anabolic steroids are a class C controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act - so actually unauthorised possession is illegal.

The same act makes it illegal to either import of export these drugs. In general terms when they are possessed for personal use the prosecution is waived but that does not make the acts legal.

 

so why no prosecution? bang to rights obviously

also it seems if you an an amateur who doesn't compete a 4 year ban is in order, but if you are a pro at the top level whose employer has access to top lawyers 2 years or even 8 months is the more llkely outcome.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/3333091.stm

IanW1968 wrote:

Mmm..Googles nandrolone and testosterone from India. 

I used to perform quality control for pharmaceuticals being legaly imported from India. The numbers that we had to reject for being out of specification was not very confidence inspiring.

Stick with the double espresso.